la mont aspinwall



3 Sheets-Sheet 1. D. LA MONT ASPINWALL.

(No Model.)

ANIMAL TETHER.

, A et'21,1886.

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

-N0. 349,625. Patented Sept. 21, 1886;

(No Model.)

\ (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3. F

' D; LAMONT A'SPINWALL.

ANIMAL TETHER.

No. 349,625. Patented Sept. 21. 1886-.

f "I W may.

N. PETERS Phnlo'Liihognphar, Wilhi nnnnnn C.

UNITE STATES PATENT Curios.

D. LA MONT ASPINYVALL, OF PFTEBSBURG, VIRGINIA, ASSIG'NOR TO THE AMERICAN ANIMAL TETHER COMPANY.

ANlMAL-TETH ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 349,625, dated September 21, 1886.

Application filed July 514, 1886. Serial No. 208,952. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: through the reach 0. The said reach passes Be it known that I,D.LAMONT ASPINWALL, through the slot 1, and has a weight, 1), bolted a citizen oftheUnited States,residing atPetersnear its end by means of the bolt d, passing 7. burg, in the county of Dinwiddie and State of through the weight and reach. The weightl) 55 5 Virginia, have invented certain new and usehas a slot, (1, formed therein, and the reach ful Improvements in Animal-Tethers; and I do passes therethrough, the greater portion of the hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, weight being on top of the reach when in an opand exact description of the invention, such erativeposition.- ThisreaehGhasa metal clip, as will enable others skilled in the art to which 5, which forms a bearing in the slot 1, for the 6( o it appertains to make and use the same. action of the arm B thereon. The under side My invention relates to animal-tethers; and of the clip hasa10op,6, to which a rope, chain, it consists in the construction and arrangement or strap, 7, is secured, the said rope, strap, or of theparts, which will be more fully hereinchain 7 passing through suitable screw-eyes 8, after described, and pointed out in the claims. which are screwed into the reach, said reach 1 The object of my invention is to provide a having a guide, 9, similar tothe screw-eyes 8, tether which will admit of the free movement through which the rope or chain 7 passes, and of the animal hitched thereto in any direction is extended to such a length beyond the end of around a central supporting'post, and to have the reach as may be desired. By supporting the parts so constructed as to keep the securthe rope 7 in this manner the direct strain is 2o ing rope, strap, or chain away from the feet taken away from the end of the reach and eraof the said animal by holding up the slack concrted at a-pointnear the supportingpost. The stantly,thereby preventing them from striking reach 0 may be formed with suitable joints, 0, any projections, which would be liable to reas shown in Fig. 1, so that it can be taken suit in injury, all of which I accomplish by apart and packed in a suitable manner for 25 means which are simple and effective in their transportation.

construction, strong and durable, easily and In Fig. 2 the reach 0 and arm B are conreadily handled and transported, and cheaply structed and engage with each other in a manmanuiaetured. I attain these objects by the nor similar to the device illustrated in Fig. 1.. mechanism illustrated in the accompanying In this instance the weight D is dispensed 8o 30 drawings, wherein like letters and figures of with, and a flat spring, 10, is secure to the reference indicate similar parts in the several upper portion of the arm 13, being suitably views, and in which Y bent to give it the desired spring, and extends Figure 1 is a perspective view of my imover the reach, having a loop, 11, secured in proved animattetlier. Fig. 2 is aperspective itst'ree end,whieh is engaged by an adjusting 8 5 5 view of a modification of the same, and Fig. 3 strap, 12, which passes through a loop, 13, seis a like view of a further modification. cured to thercach C, said loop 13 being screw- A indicates a supporting post, which is threaded on its lower end, and secured by an adapted to be driven or set in the ground, and adj ustablenut, 14. The spring 10 has a series has a pivotal bearing, a, formed on the top of apertures, 15, formed therein, which are 4o portion thereof. The pivotal bearing a, byits engaged by the loop 11, and the resiliency of formation leaves a bearing-shoulder, a, upon the said spring is thus controlled by the adwhich a socketed depending projection, b, of justment of the loop 11. In Fig. 3 a similar an arm, B, fits and revolves, resting upon the modificationis illustrated; but in this instance shoulder a, and swinging or revolving on the spring 10 is formed of wire, having a coil, 9 5

5 the pivotal bearing a. The arm B has a slot, 16, at its ends, which is secured in ears in the 1, passing thcrethrough, leaving a shoulder or arm 13. In this instance, also, the said spring solid surface, 2, in the upper portion of the 10 embraces the reach 0, being in the form of said arm B. A reach, 0, passes through the a loop, and passes under the said reaclnwhich slot 1 in the arm B, and is pivoted thereto by bears down upon the said spring." The-rope Ioo 50 a bolt and set-nut, 3, which passes through the or chain 7 in these modifications is secured to projecting cars a a of the said arm B, and the rear portion of the reach adjacent to the arm B. By supporting the rope 7 in connection with the reach C, as hereinbefore described, a sagging or depression of the same is prevented, and at the same time all the slack of the rope tether is promptly taken up, and the action of the entire device is rendered more effective and positive.

The reach, as shown in Fig. 1, and in the modified forms, Figs. 2 and 8, will. be at all times raised automatically when the animal attached to the rope comes near to the device. When receding therefrom, the reach is drawn downward; but as soon as the rope or chain is relaxed or slacked the said reach rises upward as far'as it is permitted by said relaxation. The reach is allowed to swing around on the post A, through the medium of the socketed portion of the arm B, thus allowing a greater freedom to the animal in grazing.

This device is especiallyadapted for farming, emigrant, or army usage, being readily and conveniently taken apart or set up, and easily carried from one place to another.

It is obvious that many minor changes in the construction and arrangement of the parts might be made and substituted for those shown and described without in the least departing from the nature and principle of my invention.

I am aware that tethers have been made wherein a supporting-post is used provided with a slotted swinging arm having a tilting sweep mounted therein, which is provided with an operating-weight attached to one end thereof, and suchI do not broadly claim. as my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

o 1. In an animal-tether or hitching-post, the combination of the supporting-post, a swinging arm mounted thereon having a soeketed projection, a slot, and a shoulder or stopat one side of the socket, a pivoted reach passing through the slot in said swinging arm, adapted to be automatically raised or tilted by a weight or spring, and means for attaching the animal to the said reach, substantially as described.

2. In an animal-tether or hitching-post, the combination of a supportingpost having a bearing at its top, a socketed swinging arm having a slot cuttherethrough, engaging with the supporting-post, a shoulder or stop at one side of the socket in the said swinging arm, a jointed reach having the hitching-rope supported by and secured thereto, passing thro ugh and pivotall'y mountedin the slotin the swinging arm, to one side of the socket thereof, and means for raising or tilting thereach, substantiall y as described.

' 3. In an animal-tether or hitching-post, the combination of the supporting-post A, aswinging arm, B, mounted thereon, having a sock eted projection, Z), a slot, 1, and a shoulder or stop, 2, at one side of the socket b, a pivoted reach, 0, passing through the slot in said swinging arm, adapted to be automatically raised or tilted by aweight or spring, suitable joints, 0, formed therein, and a rope, 7, passing through eyes 8, secured to the said reach 0, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

D. LA MONT ASPIN\VALL. Vitnesses:

JOHN LYON, J AS. MoDo ALD. 

